Soul

Despite its unorthodox speed-meets-weed compositions, the self-titled cassette [Banned in DC] was essentially a sonic pamphlet for the group's increasingly extensive PMA philosophy."We're the thinking man's punk, so we know our message is that of peace and love and Positive Mental Attitude. That's what we really stood and stand for. In music, we have a background of progression. When I imagine a riff, it's like a big wall falling down. If I pick up my guitar and I say to myself, 'You sellout,' then I say, 'All right, watch this- this is a song about sellouts.' And from there, my imagination will let me create, from my musical experiences, what a sellout introduction riff is going to be. I guess that's a blessing that I have, and me and Doc and Earl and all of us together, that we're able to do this.

The next key is keeping at it.
That's when you advance.
That's when you progress in anything.'"
-Daryll Jenifer of Bad Brains.

Spooky

There is a bottom to everything, even the spooky mysteries of the world. In Russia, the whole notion of the Mafia's subtle meddlings in politics and such fascinated the living daylights out of me. I wanted to learn as much as possible without getting my hands dirty. My efforts eventually paid off. I didn't meet the grand Kossak Wizard of Oz, but did in fact talk to someone actually in the Mafia. Creepy indeed.

Not as creepy as the Satanist I met out and about but that's a B*Side tale for later.

+
My mind trumps religion and nature over politics though, and nothing is better than Africa if you're looking for reason escaping organic conundrums. Yikes! They are just about everywhere, from the last dinosaur allegedly in the Congo to a giant snake that lives off cow sacrifices in a lake tucked away in South Africa to the ever popular witchcraft. Witchcraft has somehow survived 200 years of colonization, missionaries, non profit organizations, and globalization to in turn dominate the papers recently here in Uganda. Obama no longer dominates the front headlines thank to a recent good natured incedent of Child Sacrifice that went down a few nights ago here in Kampala. I can't do the article justice, read it for yourself. I went for a walk through the market here in town yesterday and stumbled across the "herbal" alleyt that had all fashions of spears, pipes, animal skins, brown liquids, and jazz like so. How in the world can Africa demand any sort of legitimacy in the global political swing of things when the only obvious step taken toward progress are in the obvious wrong direction? I want a shirt that says Stop Child Sacrifice. Protect and entertain.

The rainy season has ended here and now it's hot every day.

Patti Smith might be the most creative person alive on the planet. I'm certain this is true.

All I Know

What in the world do I know?
+

+ Sweatshirt and flip flops are tokens of the best weather imaginable.

+

There are no pets here in Africa. Africans beat dogs up. They have no qualms about eating them too. If you seriously walk near or recognition a dog here in Uganda, they will scamper away from you with the same sort of energy dogs in America greet you with. It's sad but true. Africans are not at fault for doing this, it's just the natural result reasoned by the thinking of very simple minds. Africans treat dogs as dogs, plain and simple. People in America pamper their animals in reckless abandon and in turn, the animals develop a learned behavior strikingly similar to their masters. The same is true for us though. CS Lewis once said "God treats men like gods so that they would strive to be like him." The same is true for dogs as well.

+
Graphology is my affair of interest at the moment. It blows my mind how often unconscious thoughts are reflected through the simple mediums, like handwriting.

+
The Killers new album, Day & Age is rumored to be their very best of their four year career. I actually liked Sam's Town, even though the rest of America wouldn't agree with me. But nothing defines late night new wave pop music like Hot Fuss. The only way to tell if Day & Age tops the previous two releases is if births just as many singles as their debut.
+

NME's Cool List of 2008 was worth reading only because of their MGMT entry. I'll save you some time. *2008 saw the words "shamanic" and "cosmic" bandied around more recklessly than at any time since 1973, and it was primarily down to MGMT's bandana-clad frontman, the blissed-out figurehead for a new generation of inner-vision voyagers.*
+

True beauty is a free spirit.
+

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.

-CS. Lewis-

Gobama

+
The day after Obama won the election, Kenyan newspaper The National ran the headline "We Did It". Africa didn't do anything. Obama can't and won't conjure up spotless roads and solve african hunger. Africa can only solve this problem. Poverty will only be eradicated without the help of any foreign aid if only Afican leaders should stop laundring money overseas to fill ther foreign accounts. Leaders need to understand that they are public servants and should be held responsible of misappropriate of public fund. Obama clearly understands the problem even though the rest of the world views Africa as a waste of time. The next President of the United States of America is a smart man who knows not to stash cash on a sinking life raft.

Sphere

+

Michael Crichyon died yesterday in Los Angeles at the age of 66. He is best remembered for his fantastic bestsellers "Sphere", "Rising Sun", "The Andromeda Strain", and most notably "Jurassic Park". He was also the creator of the very successful television show "ER". Science fiction to him was never some outer space alien invasion phenomenon, but real life science with a twist that always intrigued and always stirred up controversy. Sexual politics, medical and scientific ethics, anthropology, archaeology, economics, astronomy, astrology, quantum physics, and molecular biology all personally interested him. Nothing was too prosaic or obscure for his liking and his greatest quality was breathing life into the world's mysteries of science. Steven Spielberg was a friend for over 40 years. "He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the Earth. Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no one in the wings that will ever take his place."

Janks

“Men of integrity, by their very existence, rekindle the belief that as a people we can live above the level of moral squalor. We need that belief; a cynical community is a corrupt community.”

- John W. Gardner, American writer & Secretary of Health

+

It's hailing in Uganda right now.

No kidding.
The picture of things here in Uganda is begins to come to light and believe me when I say that it is truly ridiculous. Every day shines light upon another shade of bedlam that defines modern Africa. The root of all this tomfoolery is hard to put a finger on, but I'ma gonna try my best.
+
Uganda is flat out backwards. Driving to school in the morning captures a beautiful picture of how things work here. They don't work. Traffic lights actually work but their only purpose is decoration, since no one pays any attention at all to them. Policemen stand at the rim of traffic circles and furiously blow their whistles at cars, showing drivers to putter This way! around the circle, acting like their job has some sort of a purpose at all. Since not many folks can afford a car, most people walk but its not really walking. They seem to walk as slowely as possible, as if they have nowhere to go. This slow canter pace perfectly complements the Ugandian tendency to completely disregard social cues, like "Hey, I can stroll with ease across street since those cars are absolutely going to stop for me." So many accidents happen every single day from simple minds thinking like so. On average, 12 to 20 people die weekly on Entebbe Road, my road traveled on the way to school.

Outrageous.
It all seems to string back to this notion I've noticed ever since Day One.
+
African, specifically Ugandians, have this off way of seeing life. The gift of life is without a doubt everywhere in Africa, but is taken for granted at the very same time. I believe this to be true because of the African tendency to act only in accordance to the primative inclination of human nature. With the influence of other social variables like tribalism, one big furious mess rises to the surface. Ugandian men here work maybe four hours a day, no kidding, which is a number halfed by the number kids they end up having. No lie. Women in Uganda bless the world with an average amount of 5.8 kids in urban areas and a gross 7.1 kids in rural areas. No worries though, right? The killer is that the Mom & Pop Mgabe end up denying any responsibility for raisin the raisins because they have faith in the "tribe". Communial living will take care of it all, no doubt. The rudeness is that it obviously never happens. Life is everywhere but completely disregarded. USAID estimates that 1.1 million children are orphaned by HIV alone in Uganda, let alone negligence. These children grow up and again it begins.
+
I'm not meaning to harp or gloat over all this plight in Africa, god forbid make fun of the struggle here. I'm just being honest. What I call out is just fingerfood in the menu of follies here. The same goes for every issue. Something always lies beneath the surface.

+

Yesterday, a giant gas tanker steered sharply to miss a motorcycle zipping through traffic and surged into two bustaxis, both of which were carrying 18 passengers, four past the maximum limit. 37 people died in total and 60 people were injured. Eyewitnesses rushed to the scene but not to aid the injured. Instead, they looted the dead and the alive, and filled up their pots and pans up to the brim with the leaking gasoline.
That has nothing to do with poverty and squalor. That's a host of character flaws and an overall moral indifference that very much has to do with poverty and squalor. Africa would be best to stop pointing fingers and adopt a Pro Active approach toward fixing their profilthy dillema. Morality is the cornerstone to cultural sustainment, not just some custom snatched up in passing.

These

sooo badly.
P.O. Box 9242 Kampala, Uganda
Ha!
+
"I've changed music four or five times.
What have you done of any importance other than be white?"
Miles Davis attended a reception in honor of Ray Charles at Ronald Reagan's White House in 1987. This was his reply to a Washington society lady seated next to him who had asked him what he had done to be invited.
+
"Try taking the fucking horn out of your mouth."
Miles Davis was questioning the increasing length of John Coltrane solos,
and Trane answered "I don't know how to stop."